Football

Bison place nine on the ECFC All-Academic team, Hinton earns third straight award

Feb 15, 2012

WHITINGHAM, Vt. - The Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) announced its third annual All-Academic honorees on Monday, Feb. 13, and Gallaudet University earned nine of the 45 total selections.

Gallaudet senior Caleb Hinton (Knoxville, Tenn.) was selected for the third consecutive year to the ECFC All-Academic team, while juniors Gabriel Paulone (Fishers, Ind.), Denton Mallas (Milwaukee, Wis.) and Anthony Palmer (Unadilla, N.Y.) each made their second consecutive appearance on the team. Junior Ryan Bonheyo (Frederick, Md.) and sophomores Adham Talaat (Springfield, Va.), Nick Elstad (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Mike Hantge (Hutchinson, Minn.) and Miguel Paniagua (Baton Rouge, La.) received their first selection to the all-academic team. To be honored, a student-athlete must have reached sophomore academic standing, have participated a minimum of two years with the team and achieved a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.30.

All eight ECFC teams were represented on the 45-player team, with Gallaudet University and Norwich University leading the way with nine selections apiece. Castleton State College followed up with eight honorees.

This is Hinton's third consecutive year on the ECFC All-Academic team. He is one of only two players to become the first to be named to three straight ECFC All-Academic teams, he is joined by Husson University's Jack Hersom. The team co-captain and 2011 National Football Foundation Scholar Athlete Candidate started all 10 games and anchored an offensive line that powered the Bison's No. 27 nationally ranked rushing attack in NCAA Division III football.

Paulone, a quarterback for the Bison, was sixth in the conference in passing touchdowns and eighth in passing yards, and led the Bison in completions and passer efficiency. Joining Paulone on the team in consecutive years was defensive back Mallas and fellow quarterback Palmer, who appeared in eight games and passed for 485 yards and five touchdowns.

Talaat led the ECFC in blocked kicks and was a 10-game starter on the defensive line for the Bison's No. 26 nationally ranked run defense. On the opposite side of the ball, running back Hantge, who saw time in nine games, led all Bison in rushing with 636 yards (eighth in ECFC). Fellow running back Elstad was second on the Bison's roster in receiving (267 yards, three touchdowns) and ranked third with 669 all-purpose yards. Bonheyo, starting at fullback in five games and seeing time in all 10, rushed for 200 yards on the season, while fellow running back Paniagua accounted for 103 all-purpose yards in eight appearances.

Gallaudet had five honorees last year in the ECFC's second year of All-Academic team and two the year before. GU's total now stands at 16 in three years.